PlayStation Vita: review, release dates, games, video, and more
Sony's Next Generation Portable (NGP) has come a long way — it's got a final name, price, release date and plenty of upcoming games. Below, you can find our full review of the Japanese edition of the system, and stay informed with all the latest updates about this powerful gaming handheld.
PS Vita getting Hulu Plus and Crackle video-streaming apps 'soon'
Sony has just announced that Hulu Plus and Crackle apps will be available on the PS Vita "soon." Both streaming video services are US-only, and have been available on the Playstation 3 for some time. Sony has been pushing apps on the Vita — Twitter, Facebook, and Foursquare all have a presence on the potent portable since launch or shortly thereafter. The two video streaming apps will join the recently-announced YouTube app for PS Vita, which will launch later this month. Hulu Plus and...
Gaming
Sony PlayStation Vita review
Sony’s PlayStation Vita represents the company’s second entry into the volatile handheld gaming market. The original PlayStation Portable found reasonable success as a largely traditional system, with console-style games being bought in boxes from stores just like other PlayStations, but the portable gaming market has changed in the six years since that console launched. With $0.99 smartphone apps like Angry Birds satiating the boredom of many commutes, just how much appetite there is for...
Sony lists Vita-compatible PSP games ahead of February 22nd launch
The US online store for Sony's PlayStation Vita has already come online with a number of downloadable titles, but one question that has remained open is exactly which PSP games will be compatible with the new device. The company provided an answer today, posting a preliminary list of 275 downloadable games that will be waiting for gamers, including Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection and Tekken 6. Alternative methods to get PSP games onto your Vita are also covered — if you've got...
Apps & Software
PS Vita maps and video recording: hands-on with firmware v1.6 (video)
As promised, version 1.6 of the PlayStation Vita's firmware went live today, so we thought we'd check it out ahead of the system's US launch. The two headline features are a new Maps application and video support for the front and back cameras, and the only other immediately obvious change is that the Home button now glows blue whenever the power is on, instead of being reserved for notifications.
The Maps application might as well be a direct port of Google Maps for iOS. The two apps are...
PlayStation Vita car adapter and portable charger get release date and price for Japan
While we haven't found the PlayStation Vita's battery life to be terrible, it's certainly a far cry from the days when you could expect your Game Boy to keep on going well into the double digits. However, last year Sony announced plans to mitigate the issue with an accessory, and it's just been given a release date. The "portable charger" is essentially a 5,000mAh battery pack that should be good for one and a half full charges of the Vita, after being charged itself for around seven hours....
PlayStation Vita to get maps and video recording via firmware v1.6, Mac support this week (update: confirmed)
Andriasang is reporting that February 8th will see the first significant firmware update for the PlayStation Vita. The update will add a new Map application, which looks to be using Google data with standard functionality like direction search, building information and so on. This may well be the first compelling reason for some to buy the 3G version of the Vita, as the Wi-Fi-only model doesn't have GPS hardware. The Photos app will also be updated with the ability to record video, a feature...
Playable PS Vita demo units at some GameStops, but call your store before visiting
GameStop has announced that 3,300 store locations should have playable demo PlayStation Vita units on-hand for shoppers to try out, but we'd advise you to call ahead before making a trip. We just spent some time calling GameStop locations in New York City, Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco, and not a single location had a unit available for shoppers to test. We called some twenty locations in total, and every store either said they had to keep their PS Vita units under glass with a demo...
Sony CFO on poor PlayStation Vita sales: 'We don't think we have any problems'
Sony's been trying to wave off concerns over the poor sales of the PlayStation Vita, and the drumbeat continued on the company's recent earnings call. CFO Masaru Kato stated the the company sold 500,000 units in the first three weeks after launch — it's being outsold by the nearly year-old Nintendo 3DS — but that the company was bullish on its prospects. "I think we had a very — a good start," he said, and when pressed further about the months ahead stated "we don't think we have any...
Gaming
Vita designer talks about its development, says it could've been a clamshell
The PlayStation Vita has some unbelievably nice hardware. In our review, we gave Sony's latest portable a 9 in terms of both overall design and for its gorgeous Super AMOLED Plus panel. Still, it would seem that in an ideal world, the Vita would've taken on a notably different and more design-oriented appearance than what shipped in Japan last month and is due to hit US shores in February. This is according to lead designer Takashi Sogabe, who provided an overview of the Vita's creation in a...
PS3 games streaming to PS Vita via hacked Remote Play software
Before the PlayStation Vita launched in Japan last month, we were under the impression that the Remote Play feature would be up and running with all PS3 games. That turned out not to be the case, with the Vita only able to stream the small list of games that already had the feature built in for Remote Play on PSP. Jailbreakers are working to get it up and running with the PS3's software library, though, and there's been a breakthrough in a hacked version of firmware 3.55.
Videos posted on...
Gaming
Flickr for PlayStation Vita hands-on
Video impressions of the new Flickr app for PlayStation Vita.
Flickr for PlayStation Vita hands-on (video)
The Flickr app for PlayStation Vita popped up in the Japanese PlayStation Store today, so we thought we'd check it out. It's a free download, and works like any other Vita app — downloading it installs an application to the home screen with its own LiveArea from which you start it up. Pairing your Flickr account to the Vita is a matter of signing in on the Vita browser, memorizing or making a note of a nine-digit security code, and using it to log into the application. After that, there's...
Gaming
'Mortal Kombat' heading to PS Vita this spring, exact release date still unknown (update)
2011's Mortal Kombat was widely praised for bringing the series back to excellence after many years of sub-par entries, and now we know that it's officially coming to the PS Vita this spring. It sounds like this will primarily be a port of last year's title, with some new content and gameplay features thrown in to keep things fresh. Unfortunately, there's no word on what exactly these additions will consist of, nor is there an exact release date, but at least we know it's coming soon. Even...
Gaming
PlayStation Vita 1.52 update arrives in Japan, fixes 3G SIM recognition error
We've still got over a month before Sony's PlayStation Vita will touch down in the US and Europe, and yet the system's already getting a second firmware update in its native Japan. According to Sony, version 1.52 improves the overall stability of the Vita system, but Japan's Ascii Plus Weekly confirmed with the company that there's a fairly specific bugfix, too. Some 3G-ready handhelds wouldn't properly detect a SIM card, flashing a "No SIM" message, but the publication managed to...
Sony puts a happy spin on Vita sales decline
Well, what else are they going to do? Vita is currently in fourth place in Japan console sales, behind the dominant 3DS, and Sony's own PS3 and PSP. The downward trend is a little disconcerting for a brand new console (and the whole Japanese games market decline is disconcerting for everybody), but Sony apparently doesn't see it this way. Speaking to GameSpot, director of hardware marketing John Koller said the "satisfaction rate is really high," and implied that poor sales are partially due...
Gaming
PlayStation Vita plays augmented reality soccer (hands-on video)
Earlier today, we saw Sony's PlayStation Vita show off its AT&T cellular chops with Unit 13, and now we've got the quad-core handheld demonstrating another augmented reality title. In case you're unaware, the US and European versions of the PlayStation Vita will come with six AR cards when they go on sale this February, and you can download a bunch of games: This one is Table Football, which turns the cards into goals, grandstands and a scoreboard. You can place them however you like,...
Gaming
PlayStation Vita 3G is carrier-locked, says AT&T
Can't say we're surprised, but AT&T has confirmed to us that the PlayStation Vita 3G will indeed be carrier-locked. Only Ma Bell's SIM cards will work; inserting a SIM from T-Mobile or an international carrier will not work. We spoke earlier with Glenn Lurie, AT&T's Embedded Device President, who estimated that the company first received Vita units for testing around four or five months ago and worked closely with Sony even before that on the 3G modules and connectivity rules in the SDK,...
Gaming
PlayStation Vita 3G for AT&T hands-on demo with Unit 13 (video)
There's not much left to learn about the PlayStation Vita that launched in Japan — find our full review right here — but we just got our hands on a Vita connected to AT&T's 3G HSPA network, and playing Unit 13. It's a third-person shooter from Zipper Interactive, best known for the SOCOM games, where you run from cover to cover though a series of shooting-and-sneaking missions trying for a high score. The game has actual multiplayer over Wi-Fi, but the 3G functionality allows for the...
Gaming
PlayStation Vita sales drop again in Japan, 3DS still going strong
After a fairly dramatic drop in its second week, the PlayStation Vita's sales in Japan continue to decline. According to Media Create figures published by Japanese site 4gamer, the Vita sold 42,648 units in the week starting December 26th, taking fourth place in the hardware charts. The Nintendo 3DS, however, continued its run of strong sales with 197,952 systems sold and five of the top ten software titles. It's worth noting that sales for all current systems fell last week, with the 3DS's...
Gaming
Sega Genesis emulator shown off on the PlayStation Vita
It looks like if you've got your hands on a PlayStation Vita you won't be stuck with that selection of launch titles for long. A developer has shown off a Sega Genesis emulator running on the high-powered portable in a YouTube video — the first such demonstration we've seen on the Vita. Information on how the feat was accomplished is under wraps for now, though we do know it's running the old picodrive Genesis emulator within the Vita's built-in PSP emulator. That's right, it's an...
Gaming
PlayStation Vita hack prints 'hello world' via PSP emulator
Any time a new console is released, a global countdown begins until the first intrepid hacker breaks its armor and gains control over its internal hardware and features. The race is now on to crack the recently-released PlayStation Vita, and at least one hacker has shown that code can be executed on the handheld by printing "hello world" and displaying some festive lights on the screen — but that doesn't mean the Vita has been compromised. That's because these exploits aren't actually...
Gaming
PS Vita Content Manager app forces firmware upgrade?
Sony hasn't wasted any time getting firmware updates out of the door for its newly-released PlayStation Vita, and some users are reporting that the company is being a little pushier than usual in making sure users upgrade. If a post at Wololo is to be believed, running the Vita's Content Manager software under out-of-date firmware will prompt you to update to the latest version, and the app won't work until you do so. We're unable to confirm this ourselves, as our Vita is already at Version...
Gaming
PlayStation Vita sales drop 78 percent in Japan following launch
According to Japanese data firm Media Create's weekly game and console sales figures, the PlayStation Vita sold over 324,000 units in the first days following launch — but it's looking like sales dropped off sharply soon afterwards. If Media Create numbers posted on NeoGAF and 4Gamer.net are accurate, PS Vita sales declined to only 74,479 in the week ending on December 25th, while every other console on the market saw an increase during the same timeframe. We're still waiting for Media...
Gaming
PS Vita firmware 1.510 out, Uncharted and Gravity Daze get demos
The first post-launch firmware update (if you don't count Version 1.50 on day one) for the PlayStation Vita has gone live today, fixing an issue that affected progress in Shin Sangoku Musou (Dynasty Warriors) NEXT. The update to Version 1.510 seemingly does nothing to address the scattered problems some users have been reporting, however, which isn't so surprising considering Sony denied their existence. The best news to come out of this? We were able to update our Vita with the battery...
Sony says PlayStation Vita isn't experiencing widespread issues, one gamer does battery life comparison video
When Sony Japan's call centers apologized for long wait times following the PlayStation Vita launch and posted an FAQ, the internet at large somehow took it as an admission of guilt — that Sony was somehow admitting that there were significant issues with the first batch of 321,400 gaming handhelds sold. As you can imagine, the company's PR department isn't not too happy about that. Sony UK directly refuted such reports when speaking to The Guardian today, saying that "we can't find any...
Gaming
PlayStation Vita Japanese launch game impressions: Uncharted, Little Deviants, Marvel vs. Capcom, and more!
Sony's PlayStation Vita launched in Japan a few days ago (review here) with well over 20 games in tow. We haven't had time to evaluate all of them, try as we might, but here are six of the best. Well, maybe not best, but certainly a veritable mix of high-profile and personal favorites... You'll see! Remember that we've only had the system since Saturday, so none of these should be taken as full reviews.
For potential importers, know that while the Vita supports multiple languages, whether or...
Gaming
PlayStation Vita sells 321,400 units in opening weekend, some users see problems
Sony's PlayStation Vita debuted in Japan this past weekend, selling 321,400 units in the first two days of availability according to research firm Enterbrain. It puts the new handheld gaming console on par with the PlayStation Portable, which sold 166,000 units in its first day — but falls short of the 371,000 3DS portables that Nintendo sold in that device's first two days on the market.
The Vita is already experiencing growing pains, however. While we haven't seen any issues with our...
PS Vita teardown shows what a quad-core portable console is made of
The PS Vita from Sony launched in Japan on Saturday, so it's only natural that by Monday morning we already have pictures of it disassembled. A pair of sites over in Sony's homeland have taken a screwdriver to the brand new portable console and taken a careful peek inside. Eight simple screws hold the external casing together, although a pair of them are hidden away under a cover and may take a bit of hunting to find. Once you've negotiated that test of fortitude, you'll be rewarded with the...
Sony's PlayStation Vita launches in Japan today
Importers, start your engines, because Sony's region-free PlayStation Vita handheld is officially on sale in Japan. We can't tell you if there were massive lines across the country or substantial sales in the Land of the Rising Sun quite yet, but we figured you'd like to get a glimpse at the day one experience anyhow. Our own Sam Byford grabbed these photos of the line outside his local Bic Camera, not to mention some shots of a retail PlayStation Vita! Find them all in our gallery below.
Gaming
Sony posts PlayStation Vita digital user manual, details practically everything
The PlayStation Vita is just about to launch in Japan, but you don't have to read Japanese to find out all about the quad-core, OLED-infused handheld game system, or wait for its February 22nd US release. Sony just posted a digital copy of the Vita's user manual online, and it's completely in English. We're digging through it right now for choice tidbits and will update this post appropriately, but you can get a head start at our source link, and while you're at it we've got a handy P...
Gaming
Sony: PlayStation Vita must be factory reset to switch PSN account, after all
Once upon a time, future PlayStation Vita owners were bummed to hear that PSN accounts were tied directly to the hardware in such a way that a full factory reset was required to switch users. Sony quickly rebutted with a statement that claimed accounts were tied to memory cards — meaning one Vita could be home to any number of PSN accounts provided the external memory was swapped in and out. Turns out both reports were correct: as of today, Sony has clarified that the PSN accounts are...
Sony: PlayStation Vita ties PSN accounts to memory cards, not the system
Earlier this week, Sony rep Brad Douglas tweeted that the PlayStation Vita would require a factory reset to switch between different PSN accounts, but it turns out that's not quite the case. PSN IDs are tied to the Vita's proprietary memory cards and not the portable console itself, which means that users can access multiple accounts on the same system by swapping cards. However, a format is required to change the ID on a memory card.
While the situation isn't quite as bad as we once...
Gaming
PS Vita launch limitations grow: account switching, multitasking, and backwards compatibility
An AV Watch interview with Sony yesterday revealed efforts to get Flash support for the PlayStation Vita and the lack of 1080p video playback at launch, but there were a few other details about the handheld that went unnoticed. For one, Sony said the Vita will not allow web browsing while playing a game — this decision was made after careful deliberation in order to maximize the resources available for gaming. That might seem trivial, but for people who like to consult online guides while...
PlayStation Vita still getting Flash, Sony hopes
Despite the future for Flash as a mobile platform looking pretty bleak, Sony is still in negotiations with Adobe to bring the "full web" experience to the PlayStation Vita. In an interview with AV Watch, Sony Computer Entertainment's Senior VP Yoshio Matsumoto, Product Division Chief Hiromi Wakai, and Division 2 Software Development Head Muneki Shimada said that there's "still no progress" in Flash coming to the handheld, but Sony has no plans to give up on the platform. Adobe has abandoned...
Sony justifies Vita memory card pricing with the mantra of 'security'
Sony's virtually synonymous with needlessly expensive proprietary memory, and this time it's justifying the cost by claiming that the PlayStation Vita's new memory format is more secure — that is, more secure for Sony. Sony Division 2 software development boss Muneki Shimada told AV Watch that the company required a format with "guaranteed performance," since read / write speeds vary among third-party cards, and also that Sony needed to "ensure the security" of the platform. In this...
Gaming
PlayStation Vita UMD Passport not supported by Capcom, Konami, others
The PlayStation Vita launches in Japan in just over a couple of weeks, but gamers might want to keep their PSPs around a little longer. Sony already announced UMD Passport, which involves verifying UMD ownership on the PSP to allow discounted purchases of the same games on the Vita, but there are some pretty major omissions from the initial lineup. The most notable is Capcom, whose Monster Hunter series is one of the biggest in Japan, and largely credited for prolonging the lifespan of the...
Gaming
PS3 system software update version 4.00 is live
In preparation for Japan’s December 17th launch of the PlayStation Vita, Sony has issued the most recent in a long list of updates to its Playstation 3 platform. Version 4.00 will allow the PS3 to share music, video, and image files with the Vita, store Vita game save and other data, and update the Vita’s system software using the PS3’s network features.
The update also adds some standalone PS3 goodies, such as Blu-ray video upscaling and new privacy controls for PSN, allowing you to...
Gaming
PlayStation Vita memory cards priced by GameStop.com US
Sony's PlayStation Vita uses a proprietary memory card format not entirely dissimilar in appearance to an SD card — and given the lack of any internal storage, purchasing one is pretty much a requirement. GameStop's US website is now listing prices for four sizes of Vita cards ranging from $29.99 for 4GB all the way to $119.99 for 32GB. Those run fairly parallel to what Sony charges (non-sale price) for Memory Stick Pro Duo cards used by the PSP, give or take several dollars in either...
PS Vita to play all PS3 games remotely, but upscaled from PSP resolution?
Eurogamer reports that a future PlayStation 3 firmware update will allow the PS Vita to play all PS3 games remotely. We first saw Killzone 3 streamed to Sony's newest handheld at the Tokyo Game Show this year — dual analog controls intact — but now, the Remote Play functionality designed to connect a PlayStation Portable and PS3 will allegedly work with any game on the Vita. Expanding Remote Play to all games is great, but Eurogamer says they'll still be streamed at the PSP's 480 x 272...
Web & Social
PlayStation Vita sends out its first tweet, keeps it meta
Sony's PlayStation Europe team couldn't restrain themselves this morning, sending out a tweet from an actual PS Vita console. It's the first one out in the Twitterverse, as far as they're aware, though its content isn't the most exciting in the world. It's about as self-descriptive as the Arnold Schwarzenegger DVD commentary for Total Recall:
As far as we're aware, this is the first tweet sent via PlayStation Vita.
Perhaps the Vita is just building up steam and its second and third efforts...
Gaming
PlayStation Vita European launch titles revealed, augmented reality demoed
In anticipation of the PlayStation Vita's February 2012 release, Sony has announced twelve first-party games that will be available in Europe at launch, including Uncharted: Golden Abyss, WipEout 2048, and Reality Fighters. The company also revealed a lengthy list of titles that are currently in development, highlighted by games such as Assassin's Creed, Bioshock, and Ninja Gaiden. Sony didn't specify which games would also become North America launch titles, but we do know that customers...
Sony and Vodafone partner for PlayStation Vita 3G services in Europe
We knew that the PlayStation Vita would be connecting to AT&T for 3G service in the US and NTT Docomo in Japan. Now Sony has announced that Vodafone will be the carrier partner for the handheld gaming device in Europe. 3G-capable Vitas will ship with a Vodafone SIM for immediate access to the network, with the carrier also offering the device for sale through its own retail channels. Users connecting with Vodafone's service will also get a free download of Wipeout 2048 from the PlayStation...
PS Vita will use UMD Passport app to provide discounted downloads of UMD games you own
Sony has just revealed its solution to the thorny issue of backwards compatibility between its two generations of PlayStation Portable console, the UMD-equipped PSP and the memory card- and download-based PS Vita. That answer is called UMD Passport. Set to be available from December 6th onwards, this app will offer discounted PlayStation Store downloads of UMD games you may already have bought for your PSP. A couple of hundred compatible games are being promised at launch, with more coming...
Sony: 60 percent of PSP owners plan to upgrade to Vita
Sony's Playstation Vita isn't due in the US until February, but it has plenty of gamers ready to ditch their current consoles — Sony says 60 percent of PSP owners are planning to upgrade. The PSP is now five years old, and its owners are apparently ready to get their hands on the Vita's 3G capabilities, 5-inch AMOLED display, and dual touchpads. 63 percent of PS3 owners also said they'd be buying a Vita when it's released, and though there's certainly some overlap between the camps, it's...
Gaming
PlayStation Vita 'First Edition' case revealed
An image of the "limited edition" case included in Sony's "First Edition" PlayStation Vita bundle has just surfaced, and it certainly looks... well, sturdy. Available for pre-order now, the bundle pairs a Vita with the case, a 4GB memory card, a copy of Little Deviants, and offers gamers the chance to get their hands on the device up to a week before the official launch on February 22nd. The US bundle includes the 3G and Wi-Fi Vita for $349.99, while the Canadian version comes in at...
PlayStation Vita 'First Edition' pre-orders to ship a week early in US and Canada
Sony may be planning to gouge customers at the register with expensive add-ons for the PlayStation Vita, but it's doing something interesting with pre-orders for the handheld — Sony announced that customers in the U.S. and Canada can pre-order the PS Vita First Edition bundle from select retailers, starting today, and those who buy early will get their hands on the Vita up to one week before the official February 22nd release date. The bundle will cost $349.99 for the U.S. version...
PlayStation Vita won't let you start certain games without a memory card
Wonder how Sony managed to slice the gorgeous and powerful PlayStation Vita's price tag down to just $249.99? It might have something to do with the external batteries and memory cards you're probably going to have to buy. Kotaku Japan recently quizzed the company about the latter, and discovered an interesting paradox when it comes to the tiny flash memory chips — apparently, you won't even be able to start playing some games (like flagship title Uncharted: Golden Abyss) without one...
Gaming
PlayStation Vita coming February 22nd, 2012 to US and Europe
We knew Sony's latest portable console wasn't going to make the Christmas season (outside of Japan, that is), but it's also not about to keep anyone company for Valentine's Day. The PlayStation Vita will launch February 22nd for US, Europe, Canada, and Latin America. As we heard before, the cost is $249.99 for the Wi-Fi-only model and $299.99 for Wi-Fi and 3G, provided in the States by AT&T — and in case you were to forget Ma Bell's involvement, it's printed conveniently on the front of...
Gaming
Sony: PlayStation Vita won't play PS One downloads at launch
Sony's relationship with backwards compatibility has always been best described as "transitory towards breakup" (c.f. PS2 discs in a PS3). So far, however, the progenitor PlayStation games, as disc and as downloads, have continued to enjoy legacy support in all hardware. That streak ends with the PlayStation Vita. According to Sony's official Vita FAQ, the "Game Archives" — which includes both PS One and TurboGrafx-16 titles downloadable from the online store — will not be supported at...
Gaming
PlayStation Vita 3G 20MB download limit confirmed by Sony
Turns out the PlayStation Vita 3G is not immune to the same bandwidth restrictions carriers face on smartphones. Speaking at GDC Online, Sony Computer Entertainment America's Chris Norden confirmed that there's a 20MB limit on files downloaded over 3G (specifically, AT&T in the US). The senior staff developer support engineer noted that it's a carrier-imposed rule, and yes, the iPhone 4, arguably one its biggest competitor in the portable gaming market, has the same 20MB maximum (just try...
Gaming
PS Vita users may get discount on their own PSP games
For lucky gamers in Japan, the launch of the PlayStation Vita is drawing ever closer, bringing details around pricing and game distribution. For starters, Sony seems to be trying to right the ship after unfortunate mistakes were made when launching its all-digital PSP Go, most notably the lack of an option to download games they bought on UMD for free, or at least at a discount. It seems Sony's changing its tactics this time: developtment chief Yoshio Matsumoto recently mentioned that...
Gaming
European PlayStation Vita box design and app information revealed
The Sony PlayStation Vita may not be hitting the US or Europe until early next year, but that isn't stopping the European Product Manager Adam Grant from sharing a shot of what the packaging will look like. Yes, that's what the box that houses the powerful handheld will look like, but Grant has also shared a few app details with it. There are the typical PlayStation Store and browser apps, but there's also a Party app for voice and text chatting as well as Group Messaging, Photos, Trophies,...
PS Vita will have external battery pack option, confirms Sony
The PlayStation Vita portable console recently titillated Japanese fans with an official release date, but now there’s happy news of a type we can all enjoy. Sony’s Shuhei Yoshida has confirmed to IGN that the company intends to introduce an external battery peripheral for the Vita, which should expand the device’s three- to five-hour battery life into more comfortable territory. In his words, "if you’re flying from New York to San Francisco or vice versa, you’ll have no...
PlayStation Vita release date official for Japan, NTT Docomo to provide 3G service
While the North America and Europe launches are still set for after the new year, PlayStation Vita will arrive in Japan just before Christmas on December 17th, with pre-orders starting October 15th. Service plans for the ¥29,980 3G model (about $389.80 in US currency, as of this writing — but $299 when it does launch stateside) will be provided by NTT Docomo, with pre-paid options of ¥980 for 20 hours of use and ¥4,980 for 100 hours. (Speeds are about 128kbps down / 64kbps up, if we're...
Gaming
PlayStation Vita won't hit Europe or US until 'early next year,' says Kaz Hirai
If you were hoping to be living la Vita loca this holiday season, now might be a good time to start planning a little shopping trip to Japan. This is because Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Kaz Hirai has today been quoted as saying that the portable console will not be available in the US or Europe until "early next year." Japan, he hastens to add, is still on track for the "holiday season" release window we've been hearing since the PlayStation Vita's first announcement under the NGP...
'Sound Shapes' makes the PlayStation Vita a sequencer, level design an art form (video)
From Jonathan Mak, the creator of Everyday Shooter on PSN, comes Sound Shapes for the PlayStation Vita. I got some more play time with it, after my promising four minute demo on Monday, and I like what I'm seeing. It's a pretty bizarre title, with graphics that look more like they belong in some Flash game from 2003 than in a flagship release for a next-gen console. Still, once you spend a bit of time with the game, it makes a lot of sense. The actual gameplay is simple platforming, using the...
PlayStation Vita hands-on (photos and video!)
While the Wii U is this year's clear winner for "most bizarre new game console," Sony's PlayStation Vita is still putting up a multi-touchscreen fight. I just got to spend some more time with the thing (my first impression was a rushed, four minute per game session of speed dating) and even have some photos and video to show for it! Check it out after the break.
Uncharted. It might sound predictable, but Uncharted is undoubtedly the flagship experience for the PlayStation Vita, and I really...
PlayStation Vita hands-on!
We just got our hands all over the new PlayStation Vita (the handheld formerly known as NGP... we like to call it Vita, for short) and we're here to tell you what it's like. Sadly, Sony wasn't allowing any photos or video, so we're still on the hunt for those. Meanwhile, here are a few quick thoughts:
Hardware
- It's big. Certainly not very pocket friendly, but not comical. It's a pretty reasonable size given the fully articulated analog controls and all the other wild stuff going on here....
Sony PlayStation Vita officially announced for the holidays: $249 for Wi-Fi model, $299 for AT&T-exclusive 3G model
No surprises here, but Sony just announced that the NGP portable will be officially named the "PlayStation Vita" -- pronounced "Vee-ta," by the way -- when it's released. Of course we already know the lion's share of the specs: front and rear cams, Wi-Fi with optional 3G, a 5-inch AMOLED display, and touchpads on both sides. The surprise comes in, though, when you find out that the 3G model will be an AT&T exclusive in the US.
It's not clear how Sony and AT&T plan to offer the device -- we...
Gaming
We're live at Sony's E3 2011 press event!
Sony's just about to release more details about the NGP — likely to be officially named the PlayStation Vita, and we're there live right now -- so what are you waiting for?
